FOR THE seventh time in his long and illustrious career, Walter Ray Williams Jr. was the bowler of choice for ESPN viewers. The all-time PBA titlist

added his seventh ESPN ESPY award on July 14. Norm Duke has the second-most ESPYs at five. The award has been given to the “Best Bowler” as voted on by fans since 1994. Williams topped 2010 U.S.

Open winner Bill O’Neill of Southampton, Pa., and 2010 Tournament of Champions winner Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., who were the other two nominees for the honor. “The two things that

make this award special are that it’s chosen by the fans and that we are recognized by the sports world in gen- eral,” Williams said. “I’m very appreciative of the fans’ sup- port over the years because we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without it. “I thought Kelly might win

it because of the great year she had but all three of us were deserving and I’d just like to thank the fans for voting for me.”

NEWS, NOTES AND HAPPENINGS FROM THE WORLD OF BOWLING

Bowling Makes a ‘Big Bang’

During the April 12 episode of the popular CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory,” Leonard, Sheldon, Penny and the gang go bowling! More specifically, Sheldon challenged his nemesis, guest star Wil Wheaton, to a bowl-off. True to his super-nerd nature, before bowl- ing, Sheldon places his hands on the ball and says, “I am the ball. My thoughts are its thoughts. Its holes are my holes.”

Cowboys Stadium to Host U.S. Women’s Open

FOR THE first time in history a pro women’s bowling event will be held at an NFL stadium when the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open finals will be held at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. The Bowling Proprietors’ Association

of America (BPAA) made the announce- ment during Bowl Expo in June. The U.S. Women’s Open is slated for June 30, 2011, in conjunction with the 2011 Bowl Expo. “This is an incredible moment for both

women’s sports and the bowling industry and an opportunity for Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open to rightfully take center stage before worldwide audiences,” said defending U.S. Women’s Open champ

14 USBOWLER FALL 2010

Kelly Kulick. “Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open is an event that sits at the pinnacle of women’s athletics. It’s both thrilling and gratifying that this event and its great women athletes – who I am proud to call my competitors – will be catapult- ed into the spotlight in 2011.” Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open

will showcase the tournament lanes in the center of the Cowboys Stadium playing field, on each side of the 50-yard line. Additionally, the Open will be broadcast live on the stadium’s 60-yard high defini- tion video board.